Flat bottom gondola car



Aug. 9, 1949. L. J.. TlLLMAN FLAT BOTTOM GONDOLA CAR 5 Shecs-Sheet 1 Filed July 21, 1945 LHMBERT I TiLmHN.

A 1949- J. TILLMAN 2,478,608

FLAT BOTTOM GONDOLA CAR ,7

Filed July 21, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LHMBERT I TiLLMHN.

(Elm/mugs Aug. 9, 1949.. L. J. TILLMAN FLAT BOTTOM GONDOLA CAR j Filed July 21, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Patented Aug. 9, 1949 1 7 I 7 2,478,608. i f FLAT n-o'r'r'oM GoNnoLA can.

mm Tillman, sp -i, Ohio I l Applicatio July 2 1,1945 ,-sern1:no.;tons l Y 'Zhis' invention" relates to railway cars and more particularly to improvements in railway gondola; cars having drop bottom doors.

The principal object of the invention is to provide the doors of such cars with spring 'means which tend to; move the doors toward closed position. Y V

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing a plvotally mounted member adjacent the hing'eaxis 'of the door having a spring which is engageable by means connected to and movablcwith the door :for compressing the sprin durin op n n m ve ent of the door.

nnother and important feature of the invention' consist s in providing a spring which is adapted to be compressed during opening movemerit of the door and winch is so located and posed within a helical'spring carried thereby, the member affording an abutment for the spring 13.61am. (c1, 10%244) r and the door having rigid means engageable with the spring for compressing it during opening movement thfireol A urther and more d tailed. e ture of th in vention cons sts in p vidingv a spri g d vice adapte to exert a force tending to move the section, of a, gondola car showing the invention associated therewith; vr Figure 2 is a, fragmentary side etevational viewof the'constructionillustrated in Figure l; the

portion of the view "at the left of the center thereof being in section on a line corresponding to line 2 2 ofFigure I. v r V Figure 3 is a transverse sectionalview taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure. 4 is a fragmentary views or to Figure 3' adjacent the hinged edge of the door, the door being shownin open'position. v v Figure 5 is a' detail sectional view on liin of'Figure 3. v Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line See-610i Figure. 1. r v Figure 7 is a detail sectional view of'Figure 6. T I

Figure 8 is a transverse spring supporting member, omitting the spring. 7 Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the inner end of the spring supporting member.

For the purposes of illustrating the invention a gondol'acar of the all steel type has been illus-- trated but it willbe understood that the invention is not limited in its application to cars of this'type. Furthermore, since the construction of the car on one side of the longitudinal axis thereoi is identical with the construction on the other side thereof, only one-half of the car struc-' ture is illustrated and "as each door and 'the cooperating parts thereof are the same only on'e door andadjoini'ng portions or the 'car'have been illustrated. 7 Referring more particularly to the drawings,

l indicates one of the car center sills and 2 one door oi-a ondola car to c sed position whi h 7 incl des a member rigid with the doorfor pivotally connecting it to the car body'and ior.en--. v easing the spring during opening movement of v the door. A still further feature of the door of a gondola car from open to closed po i -ion c nsi ng of a member-which carries an actuatin spring and wh ch i piv al y c n:v

nected at one end to'thc car body and is slidably supported 'by the door at'its other end.

Other and more specific-features oi the inven the invention con-Q sists in providin a spring device tending to moveof the side sills thereof, thelatter advantageously being of angle shape having a substantially hori-" zontal' flange or leg 3 and a substantially verticalffla-nge or leg 4. The sills of the car are connected bya pluralityof suitably spacedcross bearers or diaphragms 5. The sides of the car are conveniently form'edoi a plurality of sheet metal'plates' Band side stakes! which may be of' any suitable construction and are preferably Se";

' cured to the outer face's'of the side sheets;

"The floor of the car may be conveniently formed. by alongitudinally extending'plate. 8 overlying and projecting on opposite sides of the ce ter silland by transverselyextending plates 9 which pass over the plate, 8 and may extendoontinuously from one side of the car to the other. Theplate 8 ispreferably secured in place by rivets In whi h: nassihrou h angle members U v ri'si'd with the upper p rtion or the center sill on line :1 '1 I sectional view time 3 and the plates 9 may be advantageously secured by rivets I2 to the underlying cross bearer and to the horizontal flanges 3 of the side sills in overlapping relation thereto.

Associated with each of the lading discharge openings of the car which are formed by these floor plate portions is a sheet metal door l3 which may be reinforced by corrugations l4 and downwardly extending marginal flanges l5. Secured to the under side of the door are a pair of stiffeners or arms I6 which extend continuously from adjacent the hinged edge of the door to the,

, of the door as the compression of the spring inopposite edge thereof where they project out wardly, as indicated at l1. to provide.arms to be;

engaged by suitable means, such as, hooks IB, to

support the door in closed position. The outer end of each stiffener inclines downwardly as indicated at 19 away from the outer fac of the door to pass beneath the adjacent marginal flange I5 and the part of the stiffener which is spaced from the door may be rigidly secured to the horizontal flange 20 of an angle 2| which has a vertical flange 22 secured to the adjacent marginal flange of the door. Additional'rigidity'can be imparted to the projecting ends of the stifieners by gusset plates 23 which are interposed between each stifiener and the horizontal flange 20 ot the angle 2| and are rigidly connected to each by a plurality of rivets.

. Rigid with the inner edge of the door are a pair of hinge brackets 24, each of which is adapted to receive a pin 25 to hingedly or pivotally connect the door to a bracket 26 secured to the center sill l. The bracket 24 may be conveniently located beneath an adjoining stifiener 16 having a flange 21 riveted to the horizontal leg of the stiffener'and-a flange 28 riveted to the vertical leg thereof. At its inner end, the bracket 24 terminates in a hub portion 29 which is interposed between laterally spaced walls 30 of the bracket 26 on the car for receiving the hinge pin 25.

Also interposed between the walls 30 and pivotally associated therewith by any suitable means, such as a pin 3|, is the inner end of a member 32 which may advantageously consist of a hub part 33 and an elongated part 34 in the form of a pipe. The hub part has a stud 35 extending into the inner end of the pipe and, if desired, it may be cruciform in section so that surrounding portions of the pipe may be split and bent inwardly as indicated at 36 to engage the inner face of a head 3'! of the stud and thus securely connect it thereto. The parts may be, additionally connected by welding or, if preferrred, they may be connected by weldingalone.

Encircling the pipe portion of member 32 is a helical spring 39 which is adapted to exert a force on the door tending to move it toward closed position and to be compressed during the greater part of the opening movement of the door. At its inner end the spring engages an abutment 40 which may conveniently beformed as an integral part of th hub 33. At its outer end the spring is engageable by means which is connected to andlm-ovable' with the door. In the present embodiment of the invention, the outer end of the spring is engageable by means 3| which dependsfrom and is rigid with the door and which'may advantageously be in the form of a flange or leg 4| integral with the bracket, 24. 'The adjacent 'end of the pivoted member 32 carrying the spring is supportedby. the door so. that the axis of the spring will.re-' main substantially parallel with the plane o the creases. Thus the force which the spring exerts on; thedoor vtending to close it when the door is in open position need not exceed, or only "slightly, if that is desired, the force of gravity acting on the door which must be overcome to move the door towards closed position. Moreover, the spring can exert enough force on the door in any position of closure so that a single operator may handle it with ease. The spring, therefore, is able to exert a closing force on the door Whenthe door is in closed position or in partially closed position as well as when the door is in open position.

In the embodiment of the invention here disclose-d, the pivotal axis of member 32 is disposed adjacent the pivotal axis of the door, being located slightly below that axis and nearer the adjacent side of the car. The line of force which the spring exerts on the door is designated bythe lines A--A in Figures 3 and 4 and a line passing through the hinge axis perpendicular to the line AA is designated by the lines B-B. The distance on line B-B between the pivotal axis of the door and where it intersects line AA represents the moment arm of the force which the spring exerts on the door tend-ing to close it. From a comparison of Figures 3 and 4, it willbe seenlthat this distance on the line 13-3 is considerably less in Figure 4 where the door is shown in open position than in Figure 3 where it is shown in closed position. vA line 0-0 has been applied to Figures 3 and 4 which passes through the pivotal axis of the door and is parallel with the door itself and the difference in distance between these lines and lines AA in the'two figures helps to illustrate the difierence in the moment arm of the spring.

. The positioning of the pivotal axis of member 32 is such that, as the door approaches open position, the product of the spring force due to its compression by the door and the moment arm thereof about the pivotal axis of the door. is less than the product of these two factors when the door is in closed position. Thus the spring may exert a greater force on the door when the door is closed than when it is open. This is desirable because the force of gravity tending to move the door open when it is in closed position is greater than when in open position, the doors of gondola cars, as is well known, being adapted to be normally disposed at about a 40 angle to the horizontal when the door is open. It will be observed that the upwardly facing angle between the line of force of the spring represented b the letter A-'A in Figures 3 and 4 and a line connecting the pivotal axis of the door and the pivotal axis of the spring supporting member isan obtuse angle in all positions the door is adapted to occupy.

From the foregoing, it will be perceived that a simple and most reliable means has been devised for applying spring pressure to the drop bottom doors of gondola cars so that they'may be easily moved by a single operator from open to closed position. Various modifications in detailsin the embodiment of the invention here illustrated may, of course, be made without departing. from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1'. The-improvement in railway carsoi the typ having a hingedly mounted door adapted to close a lading discharge opening thereof and having means for supporting the door in closed substantially horizontal position, said improvement consisting of a helical spring disposed beneath the door and operatively interposed between, the door and the car body, a member'pivotally mounted on the car body below the hinge axis of the door means carried by the door for slidably supporting said member and spring in a planesubstantially parallel with the door in all positions of closure it. may assume, and means rigid with the door and I movable therewith for compressing the spring during at least a portion of vtheopening movement thereof, the moment arm of the force of the spring about the hinge axis of the door decreasing as the compression on the spring increases. i

2.'The improvement in railway cars of the type having a hingedly mounted door adapted to close a lading discharge opening thereof and having means for supporting the door in closed position, said improvement consisting of a member pivotally mounted on the car body beneath said door and disposed substantially parallel with the plane of the'door, a helical springmounted on said member adapted to exert a force tending to move the door toward closed position, means rigid with the door for slidably supporting the free end of said member, and means operable by the door for compressing the spring for at least a part of the opening movement of the door, the pivotal axis of said. member being located adjacent the hinge axis of the door and the moment arm of the force of the spring about the hinge axis of the door decreasing as the door nears fully open position. 7 g

, 3. The improvement in railway cars of the type having a hingedly mounted door adapted to close a lading discharge opening thereof and having means for supporting the door in closed position, said improvement consisting of a helical spring disposed beneath the door, a member pivotally connected to the car body adjacent to and below, the hinge axis of the door affording an abutment for one end of the spring, said Inemberhaving'a portion extending within the spring and project ing beyond the other end thereof, and means rigid with the door for slidab-ly supporting the projecting end of said pivotally mounted; member, said means supporting said member and encircling spring substantially parallel with the plane of the door, and'being engageable with the spring for compressing it during the greater part of the opening movement of the door, the location, of the pivotal axis of said member with respect to the hinge axis of the door being such that the moment arm of the force of the spring about the hinge axis decreases as. the door nears fully open position.

4. The improvement in railway cars of the type havinga hingedly mounted door aso lapteizl to close a Iading discharge opening thereof and having means for supporting the door in closed position,

6 door havinga portion: extending within the helices of the spring and providedwith an abutment for the inner end of the spring, said memberprojecting beyond the outer end of the spring, means connected to the door and movable therewith for slidably supportingsaidpivoted member 7 substantially parallel with the door, and a bracket carried by the door engageable with the outerend ofv the spring for compressing it during the, greater part of the opening movement of the door,the moment arm of the force of the spring about the hinge axis of the door decreasin as the :door-is moved to open position.

5. Theimprovement in railway cars of the type having a hingedly mounted door adapted to close a 'ladingv discharge; opening thereofrand having means for supporting the door in closed. position; said improvement consisting of-a' helical spring beneath the. door adapted toexert a-closing force tendin tomove the door toward closedposition', a memberpivotally connected adjacent it inner end to the car body near the hinge axis of the door providingan abutment for. the spring, said member having a portion extending forwardly within the helices of the spring and the outer end of said member projecting beyond the spring, and means carried by the door slidably supporting the outer end of said member to maintain the member insubstantially parallel relation with the door in all. positions the door may occupy, said means being engageablewith the spring for compressing-it during opening movement of the door, the momentarm ofthe force ofthe spring about, the hinge axis, of thB dOOI decreasing as the door is moved to open position; i 6. The improvement inrailway cars of the type having, a hingedly mounted door adapted to close a lading discharge opening thereof and having means for supporting the door in closed position, said improvement consisting of a helical spring beneath thedoor adapted to exert a force tending to move the, door toward closed position, means pivotally connected to the car body affording an abutment, for the spring having a portionextending axiall thereof, and a bracket rigid withthe door having a hub portion affording meansrwherebythe. door may bespivotally con nected to the car body and having a portion onset from the door for engaging and compressing the spring during the greater part of its movement from closed to openjposition, the pivotal point of said means being adjacent to and below the hinge axis of the door and the moment arm of the force abut the hinge axis decreasing as the door approaches fully open position. V

7. The improvement in railway cars of the type having-a h ngedly mounted door adapted to close a lading, dis-chargev opening thereof and having means for supporting the doorinclosedposition; said improvement consisting of a helical spring disposed beneath the door with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel with the plane: thereof, a member for supporting the spring having its inner end pivotally connected to the car body and its outer. end projecting beyond the spring, means rigid with the door slidably supporting the outer end of said member, the pivotal axis of said member being adjacent to and. below the hinge axis of the door, said means being cooperable with said spring for compressing it during the greatest part of movement of the door from closed to open position, the moment arm of the force of the spring about the hinge axis of the door decreasing as the door moves to open position.

8. The improvement in railway cars of the type having a hingedly mounted door adapted to be disposed in horizontal position to close a lading discharge openin of the car and having means for' supporting the door in closed position, said improvement consisting of a bracket on the car body below the door to which the door is hingedly connected, an elongated member pivotally connected at its inner end to said bracket beneath the door and adjacent the hinge axis thereof, means connected to and movable with the door for slidably supporting the outer end of said member, a spring encircling said member adapted to exert a force on the door tending tomov it toward closed position, and means movable with the door for compressing the spring during the major part of its movement to open position, the intersection of the line of force of the spring and the line connecting the hinge axis of the door with the point of reaction of the spring force on the carbody forming an upwardly facing obtuse angle which increases as the door approaches open position.

9. The improvement in railway gondola cars of the type having a, hingedly mounted door adapted to close a ladin discharge opening thereof whose hinge axis extends longitudinally of the car and having means for supporting the door in closed position, said improvement consisting of a helical spring operatively interposed between the door and the car body adapted to exert a force tending to move the door toward closed position, a member having a pivotal axis extending longitudinally of the car mounted on the car body for supporting said spring, the outer end of said member projecting beyond the outer end of the 5 spring, the longitudinal axis of said spring being disposed substantially parallel with the plane of the door in all positions the door may assume and the pivotal axi of said member being disposed below and adjacent to the hinge axis of the door, and means connected to and movable with the door slidably supporting the outer end of said member and for compressing the spring during the greater part of the movement of the door fromclosed to open position, the moment arm of the force of the spring about the hinge axis of the door decreasing as the door approaches fully open position.

a 10. The improvement in railway cars of the type having a hingedly mounted door adapted to close a lading discharge opening thereof and havin means for supporting the door in closed position, said improvement consisting of a bracket secured to the car body below the door, a bracket secured to the under-side of the door hingedly connecting the door to said bracket on the car body, a member pivotally connected adjacent its inner end to said bracket on the car body and slidably connected to the door adjacent its outer end, a spring carried by said member beneath close a lading discharge opening thereof and having means for supporting the door in closed position, said improvement consisting of a hinge bracket on the under-side of the door having a hub portion, a bracket rigid with the car body having laterally spaced portions between which said hub portion is disposed and to which it is hingedly connected, a member pivotally connected at its inner end to said bracket on the car having an encircling helical spring, and means rigid with said hinge bracket slidably supporting the outer end of said member for compressing said spring during the major portion of the opening movement of the door.

12. The improvement in railway cars of the type having a hingedly mounted door adapted'to close a lading discharge opening thereof and having means for supporting the door in closed position, said improvement consisting of a bracket rigid with'the car body having laterally spaced wallportions, a hinge bracket rigid with the door having a hub portion interposed between said wall portions and pivotally. connected thereto, said bracket on the door having a portion rigidly connected to the under side of the door and having. an additional portion depending from the door, a member pivotally mounted adjacent one end thereof on said bracket on the car and slidably supported adjacent the other end thereof by said depending portion, and a helical spring encircling said member adapted to be compressed during opening movement of the door.

13. The improvement in railway cars of the type having a hingedly mounted door adapted to close a lading discharge opening thereof and having means for supporting the door in closed position, said improvement consisting of a bracket on the door hingedly connecting the door to the car, a member beneath the door pivotally connected to the car body adjacent the hinge axis of the door, and a helical spring encircling said member adapted to exert a force tending to move the door toward closed position, said bracket having a portion extending downwardly from the door for slidably supportingthe free end of said member, said portion being cooperable with the spring for compressing it during movement of the door from closed to open position, the pivotal axis of said member being positioned with respect to the hinge axis of the door so that the moment arm of the force of the spring about the hinge axis decreases during opening movement of the door.

LAMBERT J. TILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,066,146 Priebe July 1, 1913 1,122,514 Link Dec. 29, 1914 1,617,771 Schrader Feb. 15,1927 1,645,977 Titus Oct. 18, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 380,645 Germany Sept. 11, 1923 457,500 England Nov. 30, 1936 

